Todd Porter: Ohio State QB Boeckman learning how to be himself

Against a pristine sunset with lights glowing above Ohio Stadium, Todd Boeckman got his first real chance to be himself.

Ohio State’s junior quarterback could have grown a Forrest Gump beard in the time it took for him to command a huddle with the first-team offense at Ohio Stadium.

A crowd of 5,500 showed up for an open practice that was designed to let a player such as Boeckman feel what it’s like to be the man.

For three years, Boeckman was Vince Young, Drew Tate, Chad Henne, Chris Leak and Brady Quinn. Boeckman mimicked opposing quarterbacks on the scout team offense. He threw the ball where the playcard told him.

Now he has to throw the ball where the defensive tells him. There is a big difference. It’s like taking a pretest with the answers next to you and taking it all on your own.

“He’s becoming more comfortable with himself,” Buckeyes Offensive Coordinator Jim Bollman said. “And every day, he’s becoming more confident in himself. What lies down the road for him will be reflective of his own ability and all the people around him.”

Boeckman is a coach’s son. He led Division V St. Henry to the state title game as a freshman. That makes it eight years since Boeckman last started a big game. Bluto could have graduated from college since then.

In about a week, Boeckman will replace a Heisman Trophy winner who led the Buckeyes to the national title game. Last season, Head Coach Jim Tressel began preparing for life without Troy Smith. He did it by having Boeckman stand and watch the offense rather than get beat up as the scout team QB.

“He spent many a moon on the scout team before that,” Tressel said. “I think you can build upon what you’re practicing. ... That’s why we thought it was important for him to be watching our offense. Conceptually, he can grow. He really knows what we’re doing.”

How good is Boeckman? He passed for 7,021 yards in high school, and Tressel says Boeckman throws the best deep ball he’s seen at Ohio State.

That includes Smith.

“He hits a lot of deep balls in practice, no question,” QB coach Joe Daniels said. “He’s done a good job with that. He’s got good touch and a strong arm. He’s taken advantage of that.”

When camp started three weeks ago, Daniels and Tressel quietly worried a bit.

Boeckman’s first two practices were awful.

“All of them were nervous,” Daniels said. “ I was ready to open a new can of quarterbacks or something.”

All Tressel could think about was how long Boeckman had to wait for this shot.

“His first couple of practices were average,” Tressel said. “I thought, ‘Oh gosh, he waited all this time.’ He was a little bit excited. I’ll bet he didn’t sleep for two days before camp started. Then he settled himself down. ... He’s gotten better and better, and he still has a ways to go. He knows that. You have to get in and error to learn, and you have to get in and succeed to learn.”

The biggest thing Boeckman will have to fight — especially early on — is trying to be Troy Smith.

“They’re like night and day,” Tressel said, comparing the two personalities.

Smith laughed a lot in practice. Boeckman is more serious. Of course, life is a bowl of cherries when you’re a Heisman Trophy contender and not some kid who’s been sitting on the sideline for three years.

“Todd will laugh, but you have to pry it out of him,” Daniels said. “Troy was a lot more fun loving. Todd ... is more within himself.”

Tressel doesn’t want Boeckman to be Smith. He has spent too much time already being someone else. This year, being Todd Boeckman is going to have to be good enough.

“I don’t want Todd to be Troy,” Tressel said. “I want a guy to be himself when he steps in that huddle.”